Big Hearted, not Big Headed
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· 7 viewsProp: The message of grace frees us from selfishness to bear others’ burdens, share financial blessings, and minister with pure motives.
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In Christ, we are freed to:
A. Free to bear other’s burdens (vv. 1–5)
A. Free to bear other’s burdens (vv. 1–5)
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Particularly here he is talking about the burdens of sin. And the particular sin that he has been dealing with here is in sight, relying on the law along with faith in Christ, instead of relying on grace alone.
So what he had to tell us helps us in helping people struggle with legalism when they have been called to the freedom of grace. But, it doesn’t stop there because sin in the church doesn’t stop there. Thus, you note he refers to a person caught in “any transgression.” (v.1) v.1 uses the word “caught.” “if anyone is caught in any transgression” (v.1) Caught implies that the sin was not premeditated. The word was once used to describe a Roman legion which had been overrun by a Jewish military force.
Who should step in when there is serious sin in the church to help bring repentance and healing? He calls those who are spiritual to do it.
In Galatians 5, Paul reference what it looks like to walk in the Spirit verses walk in the flesh. So the people “who are spiritual” are being led by the Spirit, who have the fruit of the Spirit evident in their lives, should step into lives of people who are being overtaken by the flesh and living in significant sin. How should those walking in the Spirit handle those in grave sin? “ restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (v.1) That’s very different from the harsh, judgmental and condemning attitude that they are likely to get from the legalists.
Restore means “to mend, as a net, or to restore a broken bone.” The sinning Christian is like a broken bone that the body of Christ must reset. This delicate restoration must be done gently, the same word found in chapter 5 in the list of the fruit of the Spirit. A harsh, legalistic reaction to a sinning brother will only make things worse. A gentle, graceful response can help. We can only ask ourselves which response we would want if we were the one caught in a sin.
v.2 says that when we do this we “so fulfill the law of Christ?” What is the law of Christ?
He just said in 5:14.
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
This is a hard thing to do. We would much rather stay to ourselves and out of other people’s business. But this is love. When a believer is caught in sin, we don’t condemn them, we love them and help them overcome their weakness.
Now there is a danger that we face when we are dealing with sin. It’s pride. It’s easy in the process to say, “I’m glad I never sinned like that brother did. I never cheated on my spouse. I never struggled with alcohol or drug abuse.
Spurgeon once noted:
There is nothing into which the heart of man so easily falls as pride. And yet there is no vice which is more frequently, more emphatically, and more eloquently condemned in Scripture.
There is nothing into which the heart of man so easily falls as pride. And yet there is no vice which is more frequently, more emphatically, and more eloquently condemned in Scripture.
We may even get some kind of joy from other’s pain. It comes out in the south in words like, “Well God Bless Him. He’s going to need it. It really is a shame.” If you don’t speak Southern, that translates as, “I’m glad I didn’t do that and I think I’m better than you.”
Look at what Paul says about us when we feel that way.
3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
If you think you are any better, you are lying to yourself. Then look what he says we should do.
4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
Paul says, instead of experiencing pride, look at what he says we should do. We really should be butting our own hearts to the test. Self examining our own hearts to see what we have lurking inside. Where are the chinks in our armor. If we don’t know, I assure you, the devil does.
We are not to feel prideful, but we are to be reminded that we have responsibilities to the Lord, to the church, to our families.
5 For each will have to bear his own load.
Each person should seek to live responsible lives that reflect the holiness that we have in Christ and care for our families, friends, churches, and communities. All constantly being mindful that it’s real easy to fall.
B. Freed to live with generosity (vv. 6–10)
B. Freed to live with generosity (vv. 6–10)
We are freed because our great love has changed.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
We love God. We love the gospel. We love the mission of the church to make disciples, so we give faithfully.
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.
The one who is taught the word is the church and the one who teaches is the preacher. Basically, he is saying, “pay the preacher.” Man I’m glad that is in the Bible!
Seriously. He’s getting at the fact that we all come into the world very selfish. You don’t have to teach a child to fight with their sibling over toy and yell, “MINE!” As we mature, we learn generosity. That generosity must flow from an understanding of how generous God has been with us.
Though pastors have to live with a lot of jokes about working 1 day a week, (of course, I’ll correct these people and say a day and a half, a half day on Wednesdays), the fact is that God wants pastors to work hard. And he wants the church to cheerfully support them.
Not to reflect that generosity after we have given so much in Christ, Paul says mocks God.
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
The way a lack of giving mocks God is that it rejects “the law of the harvest” that God has set in place.
Many of us have somewhat of an agricultural background. We know that it is foolishness to expect peanuts to magically pop up where we have not planted any peanuts. But where we did plant peanuts. And did the work to keep them watered and the weeds out of the field, at some point you should expect some peanuts.
This law of the harvest is true in the immediate context of giving to the church and paying pastors. You should eventually expect discipleship to be being done and disciples being made. So, staff we get paid well, we should serve well.
That being said, in my experience, the people that complain the most about church finances are generally the worst givers. Because money is always tied to the heart. I’ll just leave that right there.
But “the law of the harvest” is not something that simply applies to giving in the church. We mock God if we don’t think that this applies to every area of our lives.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
If we live focusing on and pour energy into our fleshly natures, that is going to have consequences. It is going to lead to moral decay. Women, if you spend a lot of time gossiping about people, you are going to alienate yourself and find yourself without friends. Men if you spend time watching internet pornography it will consume your mind and lead to all kinds of compromises in values in the way you love your wife and family. For the Hebrews in was closely tied to death. So it is quite possible that Paul was also emphasizing the fact that if you live your sowing into your sin nature it’s going to lead to a compromised and shortened life. And we see that reality all the time. But we don’t have to live that way. If we sow into our lives the things of God and living in a godly loving way, we will get our the blessings that only a Spirit led life can bring. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Sowing the Spirit reaps all the marks of eternal life.
But I think there is another application we should be mindful of tied to this principle as it relates to the main argument of this book. If we live trusting in our flesh, our works to make us right with God, we are going to reap a life of constant guilt, and a lack of assurance that we have ever done enough. But if you sow faith into your life knowing that you are free and righteous in Christ completely apart from your works. You are forgiven and free, then the Spirit reaps in your life joy of forgiveness and confidence that when I die, I’m going t be with the Lord. Not because I’m sinless, but because Jesus is.
Do we all struggle with all of these things? Yes. That’s why Paul says,
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
So, as we live out our faith, we live generously.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Everyone- we show love and give to everyone in need. They don’t have to be believers. But, how can we say we really care if we don’t take care of our spiritual family.
C. Freed to live genuine lives. (vv. 11-18)
C. Freed to live genuine lives. (vv. 11-18)
Paul has taken the pen now from the scribe that he is probably dictating the letter to.
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
Some point to how many half blind people write with large, not as tidy letters. What he says now is personal to him.
Now Paul points back to the legalists and says they don’t the lives that that they are asking your to live.
12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
Paul says their motives aren’t pure. They don’t want you to keep the law because they have your best at heart. They just don’t want to face the persecution from the Jews in Jerusalem over the gospel message. A lot of them don’t even keep the law, but if they can get you to be circumcised and live legalists lives, they will look good in front of all their legalists friends.
Paul says, I want you to live genuine lives. One with pure motives. One where Jesus Christ gets all the glory for our righteousness and our salvation.
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
In his heart, the world is now crucified and Jesus lives forever. And because Jesus lives, he lives. Because Jesus lives, we live. That is the only thing that matters.
15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
The only thing that really matters in your life is “are you are new creation in Christ.” Because if you are “he changes everything else.” If he’s not, you’ll never have the new life that brings you to God. That is where blessing is.
16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
And may he grace free us to a truly, genuine, everlasting life, starting today.